What do you Think Zen Means by Enlightenment - Essay Example

?Enlightenment While most individuals are familiar with the term Enlightenment, few truly understand its meaning. Indeed, notions of Enlightenment differ among theorists and philosophers. One prominent philosopher of Enlightenment was D.T. Suzuki. Throughout the 20th century Suzuki wrote a number of books and essays on Buddhism, Zen, Shin that not only disseminated information on these religious approaches, but also helped shaped popular understanding of many tenants of belief. This essay considers Suzuki’s perspective on Zen Enlightenment and argues that for Suzuki the notion of Enlightenment is a personal journey toward becoming one with the essential nature of the universe. In properly comprehending Suzuki’s perspective on Enlightenment it is necessary to consider the various modes of articulation he implements. One such perspective is Suzuki’s historical contextualization of Enlightenment. In these regards, Suzuki notes the seminal tale of the Buddha attaining Enlightenment under the Bodhi-tree. This historical consideration is significant as it relates to the very foundational assumptions of Enlightenment in Zen Buddhism as emerging from either traditional forms of Buddhism or as an entirely unique development. Early on it’s clear that Suzuki embraces a notion of Enlightenment as emerging from the foundational values established by the Buddha, yet believes that Zen Buddhism is greatly tempered by the Chinese soil. Suzuki recognizes that the very notion of Enlightenment and Buddhism has shifted historically. He states that, “In the beginning of Buddhism…was an exclusive possession of the elite” (Suzuki, p. 74). While such a notion would seemingly preclude Enlightenment from having any true and widespread nature, it seems that for Suzuki the later spread of Buddhism to mass amounts of people is a testament to the nature and potential of Enlightenment as intrinsic to humanity. In a seminal statement on this concept Suzuki writes, “The history of Buddhism is thus also a history of freedom in one’s spiritual, intellectual, and moral life” (Suzuki, p. 75). This is significant as it indicates the central and timeless nature of the concept. While traditional notions of asceticism are considered, one of the prominent themes that Suzuki establishes early on is that of Enlightenment emerging from an internal path. Suzuki states, “The reason why the Buddha so frequently refused to answer metaphysical problems was partly due to his conviction that the ultimate truth was to be realized in oneself through one’s own efforts” (Suzuki, p. 61). Indeed, there is a prevailing sense that Suzuki believes traditional forms of linguistic articulation are inefficient in comprehensively explicating the Enlightenment concept. Although such a notion seems to indicate that Enlightenment is simply a subjective state, it’s clear that Suzuki believes there are various signposts that add further structure to the concept. While traditional forms of Indian Buddhism embraced ascetic and stoic spiritual approaches, for Suzuki Zen Buddhist approaches to Enlightenment are more prominently linked to an ignorance of traditional means of knowing and an increased acceptance of the true universal essence of nature. While Suzuki firmly entrenches the notion of Enlightenment as a personal journey, he also established a number of objective elements. Suzuki notes, “deliverance from Ignorance and passions was the work of Enlightenment” (Suzuki, p. 63). Such notions become thematic throughout the text as Suzuki later considers that one of the elements intrinsic in both sentient and non-sentient beings is an ability to transcend, “the dualism of matter and spirit, of ignorance and wisdom, of passion and non-attachment” (Suzuki, p. 64). Indeed, the notion that Enlightenment is intrinsic to humanity is further established, as Suzuki seems to embrace this Enlightenment as being firmly linked to the true essence of the universe. One considers 19th century notions Emerson and Thoreau’s Transcendentalism in gaining a furthered perspective of this notion. As noted earlier Suzuki’s understanding of Enlightenment is one that cannot simply be articulated through linguistic utterances. This notion becomes thematic throughout his text, as he later notes that Enlightenment must be complex to the extent that it avoids simple epistemological categorization. Simply put, Suzuki recognizes that one cannot simply read about Enlightenment and through this reading claim to understand and have achieved it. As Suzuki recognizes that Enlightenment cannot simply be articulated through traditional epistemological forms, he does embrace a means of understanding Enlightenment ‘via negative’. One of the important notions in these regards is that Enlightenment cannot simply be equated to learning a skill that advances in a structured and progressive manner. Suzuki works to further deconstruct traditional notions of articulation. He states, “in Enlightenment subject is predicate, and predicate is subject” (Suzuki, p. 68). While such a notion is complex and ambiguous it follows one of Suzuki’s primary themes wherein Enlightenment destabilizes traditional notions of the self. It seems that Suzuki’s understanding of Enlightenment occurs as the individual comes to gain a deeper recognition of the falsity of the ego and subsequently comes in-tune with the true essence of the universe to a greater degree. While Indian versions of Buddhism form the base of Enlightenment one of Suzuki’s central considerations is the impact the Chinese socio-cultural climate had on shifting notions of Buddhism and Enlightenment. One of the significant notions in these regards is that of the ways the opposing cultures embraced or rejected metaphysical notions. While Indian culture worked to explicate difficult to understand or inarticulable aspects of existence through sensational pictures of gods, Chinese culture deemphasized such methods of understanding. Referencing this shift Suzuki states, “The people you associate with are all ordinary mortals like yourselves, no abstract ideas, no dialectical subtleties confront you” (Suzuki, p. 104). It seems that for Suzuki this fundamental shift impacted notions of Enlightenment, more firmly rooting Zen understandings in a humanistic context. Suzuki further advances his discussion of Zen Buddhism he resorts to a series of metaphors as a means of gaining more direct insight into both Enlightenment and the shift away from traditional Indian forms of Buddhism. Quoting a teaching, Suzuki writes, “When water is scooped in hands, the moon is reflected in them; when the flowers are handled, the scent soaks into the robe” (Suzuki, p. 117). Such notions are highly complex and rather than one statement constituting the entirety of Zen, they seem to shed indirect insight on the matter. One considers the above statement in terms of Suzuki’s notion of Enlightenment. The statement seems to indicate that rather than one being able to directly grasp the essence of Enlightenment through traditional measures they must shift their very notions of traditional rationality. While this notion sounds entirely foreign it has been echoed in much pre-Socratic thought, as well as Derridean notions of deconstruction; namely, that meaning is something that is cannot simply be articulated in a linguistic utterance but is continually deferred. It seems that to a degree, Suzuki’s understanding of achieving Enlightenment is the recognition of a deeper reality behind the traditional modes of cultural signification. In conclusion, this essay has examined Suzuki’s perspective on Zen notions of Enlightenment. The central argument has been that Suzuki primarily recognizes Enlightenment as a personal journey toward becoming one with the essential nature of universe. While such a process of awareness is noted, further articulating the essence of this Enlightenment is recognized as exceedingly difficult as the very nature of the linguistic utterance limits the true understanding. Rather the path to achieving this Enlightenment, Suzuki notes, is one of personal journey. Ultimately, while the individual must work towards Enlightenment in their subjective context, the state of Enlightenment is intrinsic to the universe and the very essence of human existence. References Suzuki, D.T. Essays in Zen Buddhism. New York: Grove Press. 1994 Read More